


something dumb to do (put a ring on it)

by ttamarrindo



Category: Day6 (Band)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Humor, M/M, but he's brian's mess so it's ok, jae's a mess, some sexual talk but it's minimal bc i'm me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-18 18:43:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13687566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttamarrindo/pseuds/ttamarrindo
Summary: “brian,” jae says and the restaurant quiets. “would you do me the honour of becoming my husband?”“i,” brian starts, then blurts out, “you don’t even have a ring.”(or, three times jae proposes and one time brian does.)





	something dumb to do (put a ring on it)

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Сделать какую-нибудь глупость (чтобы надеть кольцо на палец)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16830778) by [double_knot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/double_knot/pseuds/double_knot)



> 1) i wrote fluff bc people got mad at me after 'if tomorrow comes'. 2) it's valentine's day and i'm all alone (ha) and living vicariously through my writing so, yeah. 3) sorry for any/all mistakes life is busy rn and i read this over like, once. 4) thanks for reading, it means a whole lot.

the first time it happens it’s really more out of necessity than any true desire to tie the knot. 

 

the restaurant they’re at is admittedly quite fancy. a single white candle sits next to a vase filled with fresh flowers in the middle of their table and steals highlights across the golden rim of jae’s glasses. the lights around them are dimmed down and intimate, the service is good and the food even better. brian smiles at jae over his glass of rich red wine and can’t help but feel lucky. tonight, jae is charming and there’s a happy, content edge to his smile brian knows his own must mirror. 

 

the whole thing is certainly a step up from their previous dates, which include but are not limited to: 1) late-night study sessions in the uni’s library, sharing big-small pieces of themselves over cheap coffee they bought with their student discount 2) drunk nights and hangover mornings they spend together trying to will their headaches away and regretting ever stepping into the bar 3) quiet afternoons tinted with lazy kisses and hesitant touches as a movie plays on the tv and they very pointedly do not watch it. 

 

point being: when jae told him to _ dress nice  _ over text and then  _ i’ll pick you up at 8  _ brian did not expect to be wined and dined like this. he’s not complaining, though. he’s lost count of how many dates it’s been since wonpil introduced them at one of sungjin’s get togethers but even though brian’s been calling jae his boyfriend for a few weeks now this seems like the last official step in making it actually true. 

 

and so brian is happy - that is, until the waitress sets down the check and jae first frowns in confusion as he searches for his wallet and then pales in half horror half embarrassment when he finds it missing. 

 

“uh,” he stars and brian is witness to the awful way he turns shy and then finches awkwardly when he says, “i think i, uh, may have misplaced my wallet.” 

 

“may have,” brian echoes back and raises an eyebrow in question. he would have deemed this whole situation textbook asshole behaviour if he wasn’t aware of just how sorry jae is. or if he didn’t know him at all. but he does, and so he knows jae is incapable of pulling a stunt like this. he doesn’t have the heart for it. 

 

“you know,” jae waves a hand around, makes an embarrassed sound at the back of his throat. “when i came to pick you up and you - and we -”

 

“oh.” brian feels himself blush faintly when he realizes just what jae is talking about. mainly, he guesses, the way brian had pushed him up against the wall of his apartment hall and made them late for their reservation in a desperate attempt to kiss jae’s breath away. 

 

in his defense, brian has never claimed to be a strong man and jae had looked  _ good  _ in his suit jacket. the same jacket, brian realizes, where his wallet must have been. the same one he left behind, too, in an effort to make it to the restaurant on time. 

 

“don’t worry, hyung. i got it.” trying hard not to smile at the miffed look jae gives him in return, brian takes out his wallet. he reaches for the check, gaze settling on the amount and - ah, well. shit. 

 

“what’s wrong?” jae ask, fiddling with the edges of his fancy napkin. 

 

“how were you planning on paying for this?” brian asks in return. the check is sky high - at least for broke college students like they are supposed to be. 

 

jae sighs, rubs at his neck bashfully. “i got a promotion at the record shop,” he says. “and i’ve been planning this for a while, so i’ve been saving. it’s not much, i know, but i wanted to treat you. now it’s all fucked up though.”

 

something in brian softens at that and he has to make a conscious effort not to reach over the table and pull jae closer because that would be - inappropriate, to say the least. instead, he settles for grabbing jae’s hand in his and slotting their fingers together. 

 

“hyung, you didn’t have to.” 

 

“i know,” jae says. “but i wanted to.” 

 

brian smiles, can’t really help it. “well, what are we gonna do? i don’t think washing plates will cover it.”

 

jae winces, but there’s a look in his eyes now that wasn’t there before. and brian knows that look, was actually warned about that look when wonpil realised just how serious brian was about jae. brian remember him saying very cleary  _ jae hyung is very smart, but his ideas can be very stupid.  _

 

before brian can do much about it, though, jae is muttering something that sounds far too close to  _ just go along with _ for it to be safe and pushing his chair back. the sound of wood against wood rings clear through the whole restaurant. brian wonders if he should just run for it.

 

“brian,” jae starts and oh no, brian thinks as he watches jae sink down to one knee in front of him. ah fuck. “my love,” he says. brian cringes. “i know this is sudden but i can’t wait anymore.” 

 

_ no shit _ , brian wants to bite back but jae’s voice cracks with what brian knows must be fake-sentiment and brian just  - he just wants to hide his face in his hands and never come up for air because people are starting to  _ stare _ and he’s pretty sure that’s their waitress over there by the corner with her hand over her mouth and eyes going teary. 

 

“i know, in my heart, that this is the right thing to do because i can’t - i don't  _ want _ to imagine a life where you’re not by my side.” the asshole has to gall to  _ smile.  _ it’s a quick thing, a hidden upturn of his lips that’s all for him, only for him, and brian  _ wants _ suddenly. what, he isn’t sure. maybe for this to be real, maybe for jae to just shut up and save him the embarrassment. 

 

“brian,” jae says and the restaurant quiets. “will you do me the honour of becoming my husband?” 

 

“i,” brian starts, then blurts out, “you don’t even have a ring.”

 

there’s a gasp from the table to their right and jae scowls something fierce back at him. “you fucking  _ asshole _ ,” jae hisses, quite enough for only brian to hear. he tugs on brian’s pant leg. “do you want to have to dine and dash? just fucking  _ say i do. _ ”

 

“i mean,” brian coughs and doesn't have to try that hard to smile sappily down at him, “of course i do.”

 

jae climbs to his feet and makes a show of pulling brian into a kiss - he even tries to dip him, but being as lanky as he is his arms give up on him a second after and they end up crashing into their table. the restaurant in full is cheering for them, even the cooking staff has come out of the kitchen to see what all the fuss is about. 

 

their waitress comes scurrying forward with a broom to clean up the mess of shards on the floor from where they knocked down a glass. jae turns away from brian to offer an apologetic, “we can pay for that,” but the waitress waves him off and says instead, “please sir, there’s not need to worry about that. the restaurant is happy to pay for your meal as well. congratulations on your engagement!”

 

“thank you so much,” jae replies hastily and then ushers brian out of the door like he's afraid the waitress will change her mind if they linger too long. 

  
  


♡

  
  


the second time it happens is admittedly brian’s fault. 

 

brian’s mother, in all of her stubborn determination to turn a blind eye to that fact that brian is very much not straight, decided to set him up on a blind date with one of her many friend’s many daughters in a honestly fruitless effort to get brian to settle down with a nice seoul high society lady and give her a few dozen grandkids, preferably by next year. 

 

brian tried to get out of it but once soomin kang sets her mind on something there’s really nothing else to do but follow along. especially considering she's the one paying for his college tuition. 

 

jae is okay with it. mostly he just finds it funny, thought there’s always an edge of something sad in his smile when brian’s forced to go out and play seoulite gentleman for the night. for his part, brian has made his peace with it. it’s a chore, but most of the girls his mother sets him up with are quick to understand his situation once brian explains it to them. 

 

most does not mean all. 

 

_ please come save me.  _ brian makes sure to keep a straight face even as he texts jae under the table. his date - misun, he thinks her name is - just keeps on talking.

 

_ is it really that bad  _ jae sends back not a minute after and brian has to make a conscious effort not to grimace in answer. misun had seemed nice at first, and brian had been hoping for a quick dinner at a local diner so he could head back to jae’s apartment and binge watch the office as soon as possible. 

 

minsu however, hadn’t take it well when brian told her he was gay, not to mention quite happy with his current boyfriend of two years. now she seems hellbent on ‘setting him right again.’

 

_ i told her i was gay and she said i just haven’t found the right woman yet,  _ brian types and fights the urge to drown himself on his cup of coffee when minsu reaches for his hand over the table.  _ i think she’s planning a july wedding. _

 

_ can i be the best man?  _

 

 _asshole,_ brian sends back, then thinks better about it and types, _if you get me out of here i’ll go down on you tonight. promise._

 

_ and she thinks you’re straight.  _ brian fights back a chuckle at jae’s answer, doesn’t think he quite succeeds because minsu raises a perfectly plucked eyebrow his way and asks, “something funny?” 

 

“no,” brian replies because he can’t imagine a worse thing than being stuck on this god awful date.  jae’s just sent him a text that reads  _ im on it _ , though, so brian is hopeful. “you were telling me about the church you volunteer at?”

 

minsu is off talking again but brian zones out halfway through her insisting brian accompany her to sunday mass. it’s only a few minutes after his coffee’s gone cold and stale that the door to the diner slams open and god -  _ is that jaehyung? _

 

brian watches slack-jawed as jae takes in the diner in a single look. he smiles somewhat smug, somewhat dangerous when his eyes settle on brian, then he lets his face fall and rubs at his eyes to make them go red before he starts walking towards them, determination in his every step.

 

ah fuck, is all brian has time to think before jae reaches their table and slaps him right across the face. 

 

“you _ bastard! _ ” jae cries out. all brian can muster is a dumbfounded  _ uh _ that gets stuck on his throat when jae keeps on going. “are you  _ cheating on me? _ ” 

 

minsu is looking at jae like he’s chewing gum stuck to her designer shoe. her upper lip is curled in disgust and her pretty pink nails are scratching against her ceramic mug. jae pays her no mind. 

 

“and after you took my virginity too!”

 

“oh, my god.” brian lets his face fall into his hands. by now, half the diner is looking their way, the other half is probably recording the whole damn thing. 

 

“what’s the meaning of this.” minsu looks like a prissy cat that's been rubbed the wrong way. her hands are shaking, her lips pursed. brian wants to die. 

 

“this man has to take responsibility!” jae is pointing straight at him now and brian can  _ see _ the grin threatening to curl up his lips. he’s  _ enjoying _ this, the bastard. “you’ve defiled me, now you have to own up to it. my family won’t allow me to go back unless i’m married.”

 

“this is outrageous,” minsu sniffs. 

 

“i  _ know _ ,” jae agrees and this time there’s no hiding his grin. by that point though, minsu is already grabbing her bag and turning her nose to brian, saying, “i don’t think we should see each other anymore.” 

 

_ you think,  _ brian wants to say but he bites down on his tongue before he can. instead, he offers a half-hearted, “i’m really sorry.” doesn't quite manage to mean it. 

 

“don't bother,” minsu bites back. then she turns on her heel and strides out of the diner. 

 

“so about that blow job.” jae plops down on the seat minsu just left and grins at brian, reaching over to steal a fry from his plate. 

 

“are you fucking  _ insane _ ,” brian demands, though he can’t help the laughs that follows after. “my mother's going to kill me when she finds out about this.”

 

“ah, but see it this way.” jae steals another fry, points it at brian as he says, “after this, she probably won’t want to risk me making another scene. she’ll stop setting you up.”

 

“that - could actually work.” 

 

“i know,” jae beams. “now, how about we ditch this place and go to my dorm because i distinctly remember you offering me sexual favors in exchange for saving your ass. which i did. thoroughly.” 

 

“yeah, yeah.” brian stands up, leaves a few bills on the table to cover for the meal and then brings jae in close for a kiss. “thank you,” he says, and hopes jae knows how much he really means it. 

  
  


♡

  
  


the third time it happens brian isn’t sure whether jae actually means it or not. 

 

they’ve been together long enough for jae to have said  _ come live with me  _ and brian to be happy about it. he moved in about a month after jae graduated and even though they fight over the shower and the groceries and the way brian tends to leave dry toothpaste on the sink and jae keeps on hogging the blankets when the nights turn cold they are making it work. 

 

and that’s good because in times like this, when jae can't seem to stop sniffing and coughs about as much as he breathes, living apart would have made taking care of him ten time worse than it already is. 

 

“would you please just swallow the goddamn pill?”

 

“my throat is scratchy,” jae croaks back and it’s a wonder brian even managed to hear him with the way he’s smothering himself underneath layers and layers of blankets. 

 

“you’re such a child, jesus.” his tone doesn’t come nearly as chiding as brian would have wanted it to be but it’s not wonder really, not when jae gets like this; grouchy. pliant. oddly vulnerable too. jae is unusually dependent when he gets sick and brian knows it’s wrong of him but he likes it a bit too much when his boyfriend comes down with the flu. it is not often brian gets to take care if him, after all.

 

that is not to say that jae makes it easy on him.

 

“what are you, five?” brian asks, not as much exasperated as he is fond. he brushes jae’s matted hair back from his sweaty forehead and helps him sit up. he gets another rag dripping with cool water and passes it to jae, who sighs in relief when he brings it up to his forehead. 

 

“i don’t like taking pills,” he says - whines, more like. “can’t you just give me some cough syrup?”

 

“that’s not gonna make the flu go away,” brian replies but relents either way. it’s not use insisting when jae gets that stubborn glint in his eyes. “fine,” he sighs. “i’ll head down to the drugstore and get you some. don’t move till i come back.” 

 

“yeah, yeah,” jae grumbles from his spot on the bed. “just hurry.” 

 

brian does. he’s back at the apartment with the medicine in less than fifteen minutes but by the time he makes it into the bedroom jae is fast asleep already. he’s slouched, neck bent awkwardly at an odd angle, his glasses barely hanging on from the tip of his nose, the lenses fogged up. 

 

with a sigh, brian sets down the bag with the cough medicine on their bedside table and carefully slides jae’s glasses off his face. it’s then that he feels long fingers wrap around his wrist, keeping him from pulling away. 

 

“brian,” jae murmurs and it’s in his voice that brian recognizes jae’s not quite here. caught in that stage halfway stage before sleep settles in, jae whispers his name again. pleads, “stay.”

 

“yeah. okay, hyung.” brian moves to the other edge of the bed and climbs in. getting under the covers is too much of a hazard and would probably wake jae right up, so brian settles for tucking jae in closer to his side and leaning against the headboard. 

 

with jae’s head under his chin, he feels jae’s breath even out. brian thinks he’s fallen back asleep, but jae is awake enough to whispers a tired, “marry me, please,” before his eyelids flicker shut and he gives into the fever. 

 

brian wonders then, with the way jae’s hand rests on his chest, right over his heart, if the older can feel it beating fast. he tightens his arms around jae, thinks  _ yes  _ and goes to sleep not knowing what to do. 

  
  


♡

  
  


(the answer comes to him the day after, when jae wakes up better but not yet best and grouches all the way through breakfast until brian kisses his frown away and asks, “how do you feel about a beach wedding?”

 

jae stops. his spoon clinks against the rim of his coffee mug in the silence that follows. then he snorts hard and answers, “i’m allergic to sand.”

 

“no you’re not,” brian grins in return. 

 

it’s not a no.) 

**Author's Note:**

> as always, find me on [tumblr](https://jahehyung.tumblr.com/)! and i also made a [cc](https://curiouscat.me/ttamarrindo)! i hope you guys' valentine was better than mine <3


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